


Howdy, Woody

by ghastlyghosts



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: College AU, Cowboys, F/M, Toy Story - Freeform, college party, cowgirls, halloween party, stoner bruce
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-16
Updated: 2014-12-16
Packaged: 2018-03-01 18:02:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 846
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2782451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ghastlyghosts/pseuds/ghastlyghosts
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>How unfortunate to have a couples costume with someone who wasn't your date.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Howdy, Woody

"Hey Woody. You look lost."  
"Woody?"   
"Aren't you supposed to be Woody? You know, Toy Story?" When there was no response from her friend, Kate rolled her eyes. "Your date is over there."  
"My date?"  
"Clint Barton, you dummy. Were you supposed to be matching costumes with someone or not?"  
Clint shuffled his feet. "I'm just a cowboy," he muttered before huffing out a sigh. "No. I came here alone."  
"Well there's a girl over there dressed up as Jesse. Maybe you should go talk to her." 

From across the room, Clint managed to catch a glimpse of a few of his friends through the crowd. Steve was dressed in some outrageously patriotic costume talking--maybe more like arguing--with Tony, wearing an oversized button with an 'I Voted' sticker lazily stuck across his chest. Beyond them, Clint managed a quick look at who Kate had been talking about.   
Her red hair was pulled into two braids on either side of her head. She wore cow chaps over her jeans, red cowboy boots peaking out from underneath. A boy stood next to her. Was he supposed to be robo-cop?   
For a second, the girl looked at him. Clint, trying to play it off as nothing, scanned the rest of the room for friends he didn't have. 

Kate rolled her eyes again and groaned. "I'm going to talk to my friends. Try and make some while I'm gone, alright?" She disappeared behind a sea of people, the obnoxious bow she kept strapped to her back hitting everyone she passed. "I'm Katniss," she said. "It's supposed to be funny." Clint's only response had been asking how she'd gotten invited to a college party. 

Navigating his way through the masses of people, he heard someone calling out his name.   
"Hey Woody!" Clint turned over his shoulder to find Bruce approaching, wearing what seemed to be his usual clothes.   
"I'm just a cowboy," he murmured again, tugging at the rim of his red cowboy hat. "What are you supposed to be?"  
Bruce chuckled. "I'm the most mellow guy on Earth!"  
Laughing nervously, Clint nodded to recognize that he understood the costume. He'd never seen it for himself, but he'd heard Bruce had a famous temper. He assumed that was the reason he was always high out of his mind.   
"Sorry man, I didn't mean to get your costume wrong. I just thought you were here with that girl." Bruce waved his hands around vaguely.   
"Right. No, it's just me tonight. Hanging out with my guys."  
"Well hey, it's great to see you. I'm going to go head over to the food because that pizza is calling my name. Thanks for bringing it, by the way!"   
"Yeah, no problem. I'll catch you later, Bruce," Clint said a little distantly as he started to scope the room again. Maybe Kate was right; maybe he should talk to that girl. But now he couldn't find her. Robb-Cop was talking to Steve, so where-

"Howdy, Woody."  
Sighing, Clint was about to give his automated response but stopped himself short when he saw the red braids.   
"Oh. Uh, hey."  
"I've had about four people come up and ask me if you're my date so I thought I'd at least come over and say hi."  
"Right. I kept getting that too. I'm really just supposed to be a cowboy." He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jeans and leaned against the wall behind his back.   
"Aw, really? That's unfortunate. I'm Natasha, by the way." She smirked at him, tossing a braid over her shoulder.  
"Clint."  
Natasha laughed a bit. "I've gotta admit, this guy I've been turning down for weeks wasn't too thrilled when he thought I came to the party with someone who wasn't him. I may or may not have just gone with it to get him off my back. Hope you don't mind."  
"What, was that Robo-Cop?" Clint asked, skimming the masses. The guy was still talking to Steve. 

Managing to grab his attention again, Natasha asked, "Have you been watching me?" She crossed her arms over her chest and yet still looked slightly amused.   
"What? No! No way, I just. My friend pointed you out earlier and you'd been talking to him so I just thought, you know, that might be who you were talking about."  
Natasha took a sip from the bottle in her hands and grinned up at him, like some sort of predator who'd just landed its prey. "Well, you wouldn't mind being my pretend date for the evening, would you?" 

From across the room, Clint saw Kate flash him a thumbs up with a bottle in one of her hands. He'd have to get on her case about that later. She may have somehow gotten into the party, but she definitely wasn't supposed to be drinking. But this was really the first attempt he'd made at talking to a girl since his last relationship had ended. Kate didn't count. 

"Yeah, sure. Not an issue. I didn't come with anyone."  
The smirk on Natasha's face broadened. "Good."


End file.
